WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

Elektron turns up the Analog Heat with a new +FX model of the acclaimed stereo distortion processor.

Released in 2016, Elektron Analog Heat offered eight stereo analogue distortion circuits, and could be used for both “enhancing and destroying” your audio. A second-gen version in 2018 offered a few hardware improvements.

Swedish musical instrument company Elektron today introduced Analog Heat +FX, described as “a dynamic sound processor”.

The eight stereo distortion circuits are still here – as is the stereo multimode analogue filter and 2-band stereo analogue EQ Analog Heat +FX also offers digital effects: Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Warble, Bits Compressor and Bass focus.  You can also reorder effects to create custom signal paths and timbres, and your patches can be saved in the 512 preset slots.

It also includes a variety of modulation options, an assignable envelope generator/envelope follower with two destinations, and three assignable LFOs, each with two destinations.

Analog Heat +FX offers an OLED screen, MIDI In/Out/Thru, various audio output and two CV/Expression pedal input jacks. It’s Overbridge-enabled and runs as a class-compliant USB audio interface.

The Analog Heat +FX is an all-around sound coloring and manipulation box. It gives you a wide color palette of processing possibilities:

• Add warmth, depth and character with eight fully analog stereo distortion circuits – ranging from a subtle clean boost to complete annihilation.
• Shape and carve your material using the multi-mode filter. Select from 7 filter types, like classic lowpass and high pass, as well as a bandpass, notch or peak.
• Fine tune, add and subtract your lows and highs using a 2-band adaptable EQ.
• “Fracture” your sound using the noise gate.

Features:

• Sound processing
  • 8 stereo analog distortion circuits
  • Stereo analog multi-mode filter (7 filter types)
  • 2-band adaptable stereo analog EQ
  • Noise Gate
  • Reverb
  • Delay
  • Chorus
  • Warble
  • Bits
  • Compressor
  • Bass focus
• Modulation
  • 1 assignable envelope generator/envelope follower with two destinations
  • 3 assignable LFO (with two destinations per LFO)
• Storage
  • 512 user preset slots

Find out more on the Elektron website.

Analog Heat +FX is available to purchase from the Elektron website or from Amazon for $999.

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Limited-edition hardware for newbies and a free firmware update for existing users.

Arturia MicroFreak synth gets a Stellar update – new look, sampling capabilities and 3 granular engines.

Ahead of Superbooth 2023, being held in Berlin May 11-13, Arturia has unveiled the MicroFreak Stellar Experimental Hybrid Synth, a limited-edition variant of the popular MicroFreak, and a free firmware update for existing users.

MicroFreak Stellar is a limited edition that features a sleek black finish with ‘quirky’ space-age graphics. There are some exclusive new presets as well.

What they say about it:

“The Freak within. MicroFreak Stellar features the same inspiring, bonkers sound but embellished with a unique space-age design.

Beneath its space-age exterior, you’ll find sparkling digital and wavetable oscillators collide with a velvety analog filter. A unique poly-aftertouch PCB keyboard combines with a distinctly freaky arpeggiator & sequencer. Bathe your mix in sonic hysterics with the erratic mod matrix or the unique Spice & Dice randomizers. MicroFreak is out to break the rules. It’s an unpredictable instrument for the adventurous. An adrenaline rush for the thrill-seeking musician. A mind-bending tool that dares you to stray from the path and think differently. Freak out.”

Alongside this – Arturia has unveiled a V5 firmware update for all MicroFreak owners, including those who purchase the Stellar.

Arturia MicroFreak version 5 is a massive update that adds 4 new engines and allows users to load their own samples and use them with one of the four new sample/granular engines.

You can now import, play back and loop your own samples, and they can be manipulated using the three new granular engines. The MicroFreak’s keyboard can be transformed into a S&H modulation source, and the synth’s envelopes can now have even shorter attack values for a little extra snap.

Finally, you can now access 512 preset slots, and the factory preset count has risen to more than 300.

What’s new in MicroFreak v5.0:

• New sampling engine: Manipulate and trigger recorded audio using MicroFreak.
• 3 new granular engines: Scan, Cloud, and Hit modes for Freaky granular exploration.
• New Preset factory

Using MIDI Control Center, you can import your own samples, up to 24 seconds long. You can then send them to MicroFreak.

The new v5 Firmware will be available for download on May 30th, 2023. See the Arturia website for more info.

The MicroFreak Stellar is available now priced at $399/ €349. The Firmware V5 will be available for all MicroFreak owners May 30th, 2023.

UDO’s binaural, hybrid analogue Super Gemini synth promises to fuse the past, present and future. And offers polyphonic aftertouch and 20 voices of polyphony

Ahead of Superbooth 2023, being held in Berlin May 11-13, UDO Audio shared this sneak preview of their new Super Gemini synthesizer.

The Super Gemini is a 20-voice polyphonic, bi-timbral analog-hybrid flagship keyboard. UDO says that the keyboard gives you “immediate comprehensive control” over both timbral layers.

The synth features a hybrid voice architecture. Digital oscillators offer wave morphing, cross and ring modulation, bi-directional sync and more. These feed into an analog signal path that they say is inspired by classic vintage instruments from the past, creating an instrument that’s said to fuse a state-of-the-art FPGA digital architecture with a typical voltage-controlled synth.

The Super Gemini is equipped with a 61- note semi-weighted keybed with polyphonic aftertouch, in addition to a custom engineered ribbon sensor. There are 256 performance and patch slots, 64 interchangeable waveforms and 16 sequences.

Like the Super 6, the Gemini can be used as a 20 voice synth, or as a 10-voice, true-stereo binaural synth.

The price and release date of the Super Gemini are still to be confirmed, at the UDO Audio website.